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East Khasi Hills district
East Khasi Hills is an administrative district in the state of Meghalaya in India. The district headquarters are located at Shillong. The district occupies an area of 2752 km² and has a population of 660,994 (as of 2001). As of 2011 it is the most populous district of Meghalaya (out of 7). History The Khasi Hills District was divided into two districts, viz the East Khasi Hills District and the West Khasi Hills District on 28 October 1976. On June 4, 1992, East Khasi Hills District was further divided into two administrative districts of East Khasi Hills District and Ri-Bhoi District. Geography Shillong is the district headquarters of East Khasi Hills District. East Khasi Hills District forms a central part of Meghalaya and covers a total geographical area of 2,748 km2. It lies approximately between 25°07” & 25°41” N Lat. And 91°21” & 92°09” E Long. The northern portion of the district is bounded by the plain of Ri-Bhoi District gradually rising to the rolling grasslands of the Shillong plateau interspersed with river valleys, then falls sharply in the Southern portion forming a deep gorges and ravines in Mawsynram and Shella-Bholaganj, community and rural development block, bordering Bangladesh. The district is bounded by the Jaintia Hills District to the east and the West Khasi Hills District to the west. The East Khasi Hills District is mostly hilly with deep gorges and ravines on the southern portion. The most important physiographic features of the district is the Shillong Plateau interspersed with river valley, then fall sharply in the southern portion forming deep gorges and ravine in Mawsynram and Shella-Bholaganj bordering Bangladesh. Shillong peak lying 10 km from the city, offer a panoramic view of the scenic country side and is also the highest point in the district as well as in the State. Climate The climate of the district ranges from temperate in the plateau region to the warmer tropical and sub-tropical pockets on the Northern and Southern regions. The whole of the district is influenced by the south-west monsoon which begins generally from May and continues till September. The weather is humid for the major portion of the year except for the relatively dry spell usually between December and March. Divisions Administrative divisions East Khasi Hills division is divided into eight blocks: Demographics According to the 2011 census has a population of 824,059 , roughly equal to the nation of Comoros or the US state of South Dakota. This gives it a ranking of 478th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 24.68 %. East Khasi Hills has a sex ratio of 1008 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 84.7 %. Culture Places of interest * Shillong the headquarters of this district is a beautiful hill station with plenty of tourist attraction all around. * Cherrapunjee once the wettest place on the planet is a popular tourist attraction. * Nohkalikai Falls one of the tallest falls in India is located near Cherrapunjee. * Nohsngithiang Falls * Kynrem Falls * Umiam Lake a beautiful artificial lake on the way to Shillong. Transport The headquarters of the district, Shillong which is also the capital city of State, is connected to Guwahati and Silchar by NH 44 of 103 km and 240 km respectively. The nearest Rail head and airport are situated at Guwahati. There is an airstrip suitable for small aircraft at Umroi which is 35 km from Shillong. The agricultural and other products are transported by trucks, jeeps and tractors. Shillong is well connected with other parts of the State by motorable road. Similarly, all the block headquarters in the district are also connected by roads. However, the villages in the interior areas are poorly connected and transport services are inadequate. Gallery File:Nohkalikai fall.JPG | Noh Kalikai falls near cherrapunjee File:Cherrapunji.jpg | Highest Rainfall in the world in cherrapunjee File:Shillong.jpg | Shillong-The District Headquarters File:View3_Umiam_Lake.JPG | Umiam Lake References External links * East Khasi Hills district website * Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council website * A BBC photographer's experiences in the East Khasi Hills Category:Districts of Meghalaya Category:East Khasi Hills district Category:Established in 1976